The service was previewed during the last CES, is now available for end users, with monthly subscription plans. The Handmark Express service and software, released during the CTIA 2004 in Atlanta, works with Palm OS and Windows Mobile smartphones or PDAs with an Internet connection.

The company claims that Express is much faster and easier than searching with the browsers found on PDAs and smartphones.

According to Handmark vice president Douglas Edwards, "even if there were no constraints on bandwidth, viewing web pages through a tiny two inch screen is a less than satisfactory experience. Express is an application that talks directly to Handmark servers for an optimum user experience, it's faster, easier and does much more than try to squeeze a service designed for desktops onto a handheld screen. Express was created specifically for the mobile device. It's much more than just better than browsing, Express makes smartphones smarter."

According to the company, because Express is a direct Internet client application, and not a web browser based service, it delivers the most wanted information and services faster than web portals. Express Delivers Who What When Where and How to Get There by providing automatic and on demand updates to news, market data, weather, sports scores, maps and directions, directory lookups, movie times and ticket purchases.

Express is available for US$6.99 per month and at retail with a prepaid one-year subscription for US$69.90.